Tractor-wheel.



. P. SNEDDON.

TRACTOR WHEEL. AAPPLICATION FILED DEC.26, |913.

wwwa. Patentemg. 17,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1. P. SNEDDON.

TRACTOR WH APPLmATloN FILED DE .1913.

Patented Aug. 17,

2 SHEETS-@SEEE cierran sra'rns Para crearon.

JAMES P. SNEDDON, F BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE BABCOCK &WILCOX COMPANY, 0F BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION-OF NEW JERSEY.

TRACTOR-WHEEL.

Speci'cationof Letters Patent. I Patgnted Aug. 17, 1915.

Application led December 26, 1913, Serial No. .80B-,733'.

Wheels, o f which the following is al specifi-` cation.

.My invention' relates to a tractor wheel and has been designed moreparticularly for use on motor trucks to adapt the truck to be run oneithersa metal track or an ordinary roadway.

-The object of the invention is the construction of a wheel for powertractors so that it may be used in the manner indicated, that is, onewhich will runon a standard gaged track or on an ordinary roadway, and,which shall be capable of being easily placed on the track or derailedAtherefrom, and one having a rim and a tire which shall be durable underthe conditions of yservice without excessive weight, and which shallpossess suiicient elasticity for a tractor runningat low speeds.

The invention .will be understood by reference to the acccompanyingdrawings in Figures 1, 2 and 3 are, respectively, a transverse section,a longitudinal section and a plan of a roadbed at a turn-off sectionthereof; a portion of the wheels of a tractor being shown in Fig. 1;Fig. 4 is a side view of the wheel; Fig. 5a section on the plane of theline ofv Fig. 4; and Fig.' G an enlarged section through the peripheralportions of the wheel showing the manner of clamping the tireto the rim.

Similaireference numerals indicate simi-VY lar parts in the severalviews.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5"-and 6 the numeral 1 designates the hub of thewheel and 2 the spokes, the latter being secured to the hub and to therim or felly 3- in any suitable manner. "The tire, preferably of steel,has

substantially the same width asV the rim 3 and is formed with surfacetread sections 4, and an intermediate rail-receiving groove or treadsection 5 of less diameter than the surface sections. The tread section5 is formed as a circumferential recess or groove adapted to theparticular rail used. As shown, it is of slightly greater width thanthe. width of the head of a standard rail 6, and its depth less thantheheight of the v head of the rail. Thesurface sections 4 of the tireadapt the wheel to run on an ordinary roadway when the tractor isderailed, as hereinafter explained.

Within the tire- 4I are placed .two 'sym.

metrical backing rings' 7 and'S, preferably of wood, the outer faces ofwhich are made to conform to the tire, and the inner faces of which areinclined upwardly from theA sides ofthe wheel to the central planethereof. The tire 4 with thewood rings 7 and 8 are then placed so as tosurround the rim 3, and are secured thereto by wedge blocks or rings 9and 10 driven in from both sides. l

To prevent displacement of the wedge blocks orplates and of the wood.rings, I cla-mp them to the wheel by siderings 11 and 12 through which,and through openings in flanges 13 and 14 of the rim 3, is passed ascrew bolt 15 adapted to receive a tightening *nut l6.` The rings 11 and12 bear against the flanged sides of the rim 3, and the ends of thewedges 9 and 10.

A tractor having wheels formed with a tire as above described, that iswith outside flat or surface tread sectionsv adapted to run on anordinary roadway, and an intermediate grooved tread section 5, adaptedto run on a standard rail and to maintain the tractor on the rails, maybe advantageously used where the yard conditions make it necessary ordesirable, Such use, however, g requires that the roadbed be constructedwith a turn-of such as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In these figures Ihave shown a portion of a standard roadbed with rails l and ties, thebase of the rails being substantially level with the roadway 1S. Topermit the tractor to be run on the rails or to be' demounted therefromso as to frun. on an ordinary roadway, I surround the rails at suchpoints at which it may be desirable to turn it, with a concrete or othersubstantial type of paving 15, the upper surface of'the paving orplatform being substantially Hush with lthe top ofthe rails. The ends 16and sides 17 of the platformare inclined downward from the upper surfaceso that when the tractor approaches one of these sections from anordinary roadway, and it is desired that it shall take the rails, thetractor is run up the inclined sides 17 and the Wheels properly placedoverthe rails. As the tractor is run off over the end of the platform itisY gradually lowered until the tread secvand lifted off the rails untilthe surface tread sections 4 rest upon the platform, when the tractormay be run 01T over one of the inclined sides 17. In other words theturn-off section 15 performs the function of a switch which enables thetractor to take the rails, or to be derailed so as to run on an ordinaryroadway. This is of great advantage where the yard conditions requirethe transportation of heavy parts, and it has been found useful infacilitatingthe work of the yard.A

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis :f-

l. A wheel comprising a tire having tread sections of differentdiameters, a backing for the tire having its outer face conforming tothe tread and its inner face inclined from the sides of the' wheeltoward the central plane thereof, and wedge pieces to secure the tireand backing to the felly.

2. A Wheel comprising a tire having tread sections of differentdiameters, a backing for the tire, wedge blocks inserted between thebacking and the felly, and clamping rings on the sides of the wheelbearing against said Wedge blocks and the felly.

-In testimony whereof I have hereunto JAMES P. SNEDDON.

Witnesses:

. A. N. Lowns, H. C.A INSLEE.

